New Delhi, India – The aftermath of the nationwide Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protests demanding the resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan continues to unfold, with fresh reports of police detentions and the takedown of social media posts emerging across the country. Despite the government’s assurance to withdraw FIRs against protesters, multiple cases of individuals, including minors, being detained or arrested have come to light, raising concerns about the continued targeting of demonstrators.
In Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, a 21-year-old man was detained by police after being identified from a photograph taken while he was participating in a protest on July 26. The victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that he was beaten in police custody and falsely accused of vandalizing a vehicle belonging to a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member. “I was merely there to protest, I was not involved in any vandalism, yet I was kept in detention for more than a day,” he said. While the Prayagraj Police had registered three FIRs in connection with alleged vandalism, a police official claimed that no one had been detained and that people were only called for questioning based on CCTV footage. Ten others, however, were reportedly arrested in the case.
In Bihar’s Bhagalpur, a 17-year-old boy was detained from his home in the early hours of July 26, following protests that turned violent on July 25. The juvenile was among 40 others detained or arrested. Atulesh Jha, Superintendent of Police, Bhagalpur City, confirmed that the juvenile was produced before the juvenile justice board and that the case was being withdrawn as per the Bihar government’s assurance. He added that the police were also withdrawing photographs of 155 people, including boys and girls, that had been released based on CCTV footage, identifying individuals allegedly involved in the violence.
Meanwhile, several Instagram users have reported that their videos related to the July 20 protests, which depicted “violence and brutality,” were taken down by the platform. This has sparked concerns about censorship and the suppression of information surrounding the demonstrations. The CJP had called off its 36-day stir on July 25 after the Centre agreed to its three main demands, including the ouster of Pradhan, compensation for families of suicide victims, and the withdrawal of FIRs against protesters. However, the CJP had warned that the agitation would resume if the “harassment of students at the hands of the police” continued. The fresh reports of detentions and social media takedowns suggest that the fallout from the protests is far from over.
